The music of futurism, which started in Italy at the beginning of the 20th century with Marinetti, turning to Paris where Pierre Schaeffer was calling it ‘musique concrete’, then going to Cologne where Karlheinz Stockhausen moved it on and composed ‘Gesang der Jünglinge’. It was really part of our German heritage. Karlheinze Stockhausen! Musique concrete! And pop music! And Lou Reed! And The Beatles! All rolled into one. Dead on! And I didn’t have to change my suit. When I came out of the opera in my suit – I was playing at the opera to make some money – I went into the Kling Klang studio and I didn’t have to change!

In terms of rhythm, what other musicians were important to you?

Stravinsky. You know the piece ‘Le Sacre Du Printemps’? Every bar he’s changing the meter. So if you have a look at the score it has seven 8ths, three 8ths, 16ths, 4/4 – it’s changing constantly, you never get in. So he made it a concept, he wanted to have this machine music.